1 of 3

For the 17th straight year, a film festival in Indianapolis is recognizing the finest in independent filmmaking, lauding movies that, according to its mission statement, "artistically express hope and respect for the positive values of life."

Founded in 1992 by Jeffrey Sparks and a few movie-loving friends from college, the Heartland Film Festival has grown from a small-time event to one of the most revered festivals in the industry. In recent years, the festival—and the organization behind it—has caught the eye of major Hollywood studios, who covet Heartland's stamp of approval on their big-release movies.

A few of those studio reps were in attendance at Saturday night's Crystal Heart Awards Gala, an Oscar-like ceremony that lauds the little guy, giving major cash awards to independent filmmakers who create movies that stir the soul.

Ralph Winter, a producer (the X-Men and Fantastic Four films) for 20th Century Fox, has long been a supporter of Heartland. Having recently wrapped filming in Australia on X-Men Origins: Wolverine (due in May 2009), Winter took time from his busy schedule to hang out in Indy for a few days to give a seminar, encourage young filmmakers, and to present some awards at Saturday's banquet.

Heartland CEO Jeff Sparks (left) with Saturday's winners

Saturday's biggest winner was Captain Abu Raed, which took the $100,000 Grand Prize Award for Best Dramatic Feature. The film, directed by Jordanian immigrant Amin Matalqa, earlier this year won the Audience Award at Sundance. Jordan's entry into the Oscars, Abu Raed is about an airport janitor whom local kids think is an airline pilot; he gives them hope and inspiration by telling them fantastic stories.

Pray the Devil Back to Hell won the $25,000 Award for Best Documentary Feature. The movie depicts Liberian women demanding peace in their war-torn country, staging public protest and demonstrations at great risk to themselves and their communities. (As We Forgive, previously featured at CT Movies, was one of several films up for that award.)

Also, the $10,000 Vision Award for Best Short Film went to Victoria.

Heartland also honored Hollywood veteran Bob Berney, a marketing and distribution exec behind such films as Kit Kittredge and Whale Rider, with the Pioneering Spirit Award for "bringing these powerful and inspiring movies to the masses," said Sparks.

Saturday's event also recognized 15 films selected throughout the year as Truly Moving Pictures—major Hollywood releases that meet Heartland's criteria. Those films include Prince Caspian, Wall• E, The Bucket List, Enchanted, and Henry Poole Is Here.

This year's festival kicked off on October 16 with another Truly Moving Picture—the North American premiere of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a fictional drama about the Holocaust as seen through the innocent eyes of an 8-year-old boy. The Miramax film opens in theaters on Nov. 7.

This year's Heartland event also featured the festival premiere of Disney's Tinker Bell, a straight-to-DVD film and the first of Disney's new Fairy series. Director Brad Raymond was in attendance on Saturday night.

The seeds of Heartland were planted almost four decades ago when Sparks went to the University of Evansville and roomed with Matt Williams and Dave McFadzean, fellow Christians and theater majors who ended up in TV—Williams as a writer on The Cosby Show and as the creator of Roseanne, and McFadzean as creator of Home Improvement.

Sparks didn't follow his friends to Hollywood, but ended up directing a treatment center for emotionally disturbed children—a job he has since left to run Heartland full-time.

But the three men stayed in touch and in 1986—with several others—formed The New Harmony Project, an Indianapolis-based group created to encourage young writers. At the time, they talked about some day starting a film festival that recognized inspiring movies.

In February of 1991, Sparks and another friend, Dan Johnson, put together a proposal for the film fest, pitching the idea to several foundations in their search for funding.

next page... |  1 of 3 | last page